Its primary purpose is to provide a choice between extra defense (from regular shield) and extra MP or between using 2h weapon and extra MP. If you are lucky to find it and Warlock's Mirror, then you have even more tough choice.

Keeping popcorn alive for extra MP gives disadvantage of blocking retreat path and also decreasing effective SH value vs actually dangerous monsters due to extra penalty for consecutive blocks so should not be a problem IMHO.

duvessa wrote:I think 1 MP is too little to make a difference. It should give 3 or more.

Well, initially I wanted to suggest 1 MP for first block, 2 MPs for second one and so on but then decided that it might be too strong this way. Unlike Warlock's Mirror it works vs most monsters so is more useful in most branches.

duvessa wrote:I think 1 MP is too little to make a difference. It should give 3 or more.

Well, initially I wanted to suggest 1 MP for first block, 2 MPs for second one and so on but then decided that it might be too strong this way. Unlike Warlock's Mirror it works vs most monsters so is more useful in most branches.

Maybe it can go up with shield skill, something vaguely like 1d(shield skill/5)

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For a "mage"-type character, a +3 buckler with MP restoration would be better than a typical shield for a fairly long time. I don't think it would imply much of a meaningful choice in that time period. But many unrandarts are like this, so it's not really a big issue.

For a "mage"-type character, a +3 buckler with MP restoration would be better than a typical shield for a fairly long time. I don't think it would imply much of a meaningful choice in that time period. But many unrandarts are like this, so it's not really a big issue.

I think this buckler might be good to some different characters also, for instance, HaWr who use Blink spell to make distance or to encourage melee characters who found Vampiric Draining to train Necromancy earlier.